Elvis has left the building

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For the film of the same name, see Elvis Has Left the Building (film).

"Elvis has left the building!" is a phrase that was often used by public address announcers following Elvis Presley concerts to disperse audiences who lingered in hopes of an Elvis encore. Al Dvorin, a concert announcer who traveled with Elvis throughout the performer's career, made the phrase famous when his voice was captured on many recordings of Elvis' performances.

It was originally used by promoter Horace Lee Logan on December 15, 1956, to plead with concert goers not to leave a concert hall to try to see Elvis as he left, and instead remain to see the other acts on the bill. The full quotation was "Please, young people... Elvis has left the building. He has gotten in his car and driven away.... Please take your seats." Former Houston Oilers coach Jerry Glanville popularized it in the early 80s (to refer to his team's imminent victory over its opponents).

[edit] Uses in pop culture

The phrase has since become a pop culture catch phrase and punchline, used to refer to anyone who has exited in some sense. For instance, it might be used when someone makes a dramatic exit, such as at the end of an argument, partly to relieve tension among those who remain. Baseball announcers on radio or television sometimes use the phrase as a humorous way to describe a home run, which is typically hit over the outfield fence and into the stands.

[edit] Quotations

Kim Basinger starred in the 2004 "film gris" (not dark enough to be a film noir) Elvis Has Left the Building.
The first track on the album Broadway the Hard Way by Frank Zappa also bears this title.
When Elvis Stojko (named for Presley) headlined figure skating tours of Canada in the 90s, the announcers would declare "Elvis has left the building" after the show. When Stojko was battling injuries, it became a catchphrase for TV announcers to say "Elvis is not in the building".
Pittsburgh Penguins announcer Mike Lange says "Ladies and Gentlemen, Elvis has just left the building" when the team has wrapped up a win.
The 1998 country album Old Dogs contains a song penned by Shel Silverstein titled, "Elvis Has Left the Building."
The phrase is uttered at the end of Cartoons' video Witch Doctor, featuring a cartoon Elvis Presley.
In the film The Usual Suspects, Michael McManus (Stephen Baldwin) uses the phrase over his hand-held radio, as a code to begin the execution of the job given to them by Keyser Söze.
In the film Independence Day, Captain Steven Hiller (Will Smith) uses the phrase as he escapes from the alien mother ship with David Levinson (Jeff Goldblum).
At the beginning of the film Face/Off, the criminal mastermind Castor Troy (Nicolas Cage) is slammed into a wall and falls into a coma, which inspires a policeman to utter the phrase.
The video game God Hand has a Hispanic character named Elvis. After defeating Elvis, the next scene shows the purple-suited man saying the phrase.
In the Canadian sketch comedy show the Kids in the Hall, the phrase is heard after Elvis, a landlord, enters a bathroom to clean the bathroom of one of his tenents.
In Choke by Chuck Palahniuk Victor tells us "If you're ever in the Hard Rock Café ... and they announce 'Elvis has left the building,' that means all the servers need to go to the kitchen and find out what dinner special just sold out."
In the cheesecake episode of Good Eats, an alien who looks like Elvis is on the show. When he disappears, Alton Brown says "The King has left the planet."
When the Cheltenham Town footballer Elvis Hammond was substituted in the Walsall -v- Cheltenham Town match on Saturday 28 March 2009, the Walsall announcer Gavin Drake stated "Elvis is leaving the building". The Express and Star newspaper reported that Walsall fans "didn't know whether to laugh or cry" Martin, Swain (30 March 2009), "The Daily Swain", Express and Star: 39, http://www.expressandstar.com . The BBC Sports Website credited it as their Stadium Announcement of the Week BBC, Sports (2009-04-01). "Sports Quotes of the Week". http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/funny_old_game/7974274.stm. Retrieved 2009-04-03.
At the end of the third episode of Greatest American Dog, which aired July 24, 2008, the team of David and his dog Elvis were eliminated by the judges. When they left the stage, David turned to the judges and remaining contestants and said (to howls of laughter) "Elvis has left the building."
Living Colour's song "Elvis Is Dead" has various people speaking the song title, concluded by one announcing, "Elvis has left the building!"
Dire Straits' song "Calling Elvis" includes the line "Did he leave the building?" and in the end of this song's Music Video, the puppet had announced this word though.
GTA 2 - A string of Elvis impersonators are sometimes spotted walking the streets. Their deaths are awarded with a large money bonus, followed by the bold words "ELVIS HAS LEFT THE BUILDING".
Scouting For Girls's song "Elvis Ain't Dead" uses the title throughout various parts of the song. The song concludes with the phrase, "Elvis has left the building! Thank you and good night!"

[edit] Paraphrases

In the movie Look Who's Talking Too James Ubriacco a role played by John Travolta, uses the words "Elvis has left the building" after an argument with Mollie played by Kristie Alley.
At the end of episodes of Frasier, Kelsey Grammer says "Frasier has left the building."
In early 90s World Wrestling Federation (WWF) matches, heel commentator Bobby Heenan would interrupt broadcast colleague Gorilla Monsoon to inform him that "Shawn Michaels has left the building" (usually some time after one of Michaels' matches). At non-televised WWF shows, the ring announcer would make the announcement.
During the last moments of the song "3 a.m. Eternal" (Stadium House version) by The KLF, a voice announces that "KLF has left the building." At the end of the band's final performance, Scott Piering announced to a stunned crowd that "The KLF have now left the music business."
In the musical Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Pharaoh begins his Elvis Presley styled "Song Of The King" with the statement "Pharaoh is in the building!"
In the 2001 film The Princess Diaries, a journalist says of the fleeing Mia, "The Princess has left the building!"
In the video game Sam & Max Hit the Road, the phrase "Conroy Bumpus has left the building" can be heard when the performance of this fictional country singer-songwriter is over.
Right after the musical Altar Boyz ends, Shadoe Stevens' voice is heard saying "Ladies and gentlemen, the Altar Boyz have left the building." He then paused a bit before closing with, "Peace out."
In Dance Of The Vampires, the English version of the German hit musical Tanz der Vampire, composer Jim Steinman included a song called God Has Left The Building.
In the TV animated series ReBoot, in episode eleven of season one, titled "Talent Night", at the end of Megabyte and Bob guitar duel, when he leaves, Mike the TV announces "Ladies and gentlemen, Megabyte has left the building!".
In the TV series of House, in an episode of season 3 called Son of Coma Guy, Gregory House says "Giancarlo has left the building". It's when they are searching for a restaurant that's not there anymore, with the boss named Giancarlo.
In an episode of Hannah Montana, Jackson dresses up as Elvis and his father, Robbie Ray, yells at him and Miley says "Forget it Daddy, Elvis has left the building" and does a short Elvis impersonation.
In the Barney stage show Barney's Colorful World, right after an Elvis impersonating starfish exits the stage, B.J. says "Ladies and gentlemen, the starfish has left the building."

[edit] External links

- Vincent Leonard of Salisbury Maryland, an aspiring Elvis impersinator, shouts at the end of every performance " who loves you baby, Elvis loves you baby, the King lives on, let him live on in your heart" **

Elvis has left the building

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Contents

[edit] Uses in pop culture

[edit] Quotations

[edit] Paraphrases

[edit] External links

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